The strategy is an important turning point and includes some welcome changes - not least the lifting of the two-child limit - but the government has missed an opportunity to show real ambition in setting out a long-term plan to end child poverty once and for all.
We welcome the publication today of the government’s Child Poverty Strategy. Hot on the heels of last week’s commitment by the Chancellor to lift the two-child limit, the strategy is a significant step in reducing the pressures facing many children and families in the UK today.
Last week, we were pleased to see the Chancellor commit to lifting the two-child limit. Alongside our sector partners, we have long campaigned for an end to this unjust and indefensible policy. Its removal forms a vital cornerstone of the strategy and will lift 350,000 children out of poverty overnight.
Actions such as reducing learning loss among children living in temporary accommodation, lowering the cost of infant formula and introducing deep poverty as a new headline measure are warmly welcomed too. Taken together with previously announced commitments, such as the expansion of free school meals, these steps will meaningfully improve the lives of many children across the UK.
But we believe an opportunity has been missed to talk about the long-term and show real ambition to radically reduce the blight of child poverty, including setting legally binding targets to cut poverty and committing to further strengthening of the social safety net over time.
Today marks an important turning point, but we must not stop until child poverty is ended once and for all. We look forward to working constructively with the government to build on this progress and ensure that no child grows up in poverty.